Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-09-24
Must the Preachers Speak?

=. Is. Murphy IN christian observer.
DR.. Frierson, in his article in a re-
cent Observer, makes the charge that
Gods Church and his ministers, are
forsaking their mission when they
preach prohibition, and says it is the
Church making san appeal unto
Cesar they are using an influence
in the affairs of secular government.
He cannot sustain his accusation.
The ministers in preaching pro-
hibition are not appealing unto
Cesar; they are not bargain
ing with the secular govern
ment for an interchange of favors.
They are simply reminding individu-
al members of the Church their sac
red duty as Christian citizens in the
use of their ballot in deciding an issue
which is purely moral in its results.
The Church of Christ and her min
listers and prophets, have been called
upon in every age Of the world to
testify against, and rebuke, the sins
of the.day, and whenever they have
failed to do this, they have lost their
power for good, although they gain
the appreciation and support of every
enemy of truth andrighteousness.
In this State (Tennessee), where
the contest is now raging, the most
spiritually minded men of. the minis
try, as a rule, are boldly declaring
the counsel of God to their congrega-
tions, as it relates to their duties as
Christian members of the common
wealth and why should they not ?
Ministers have always felt at liberty,
and even called upon, to point out to
Christians their duty, not only as
members of the Church, but as heads
Of families, as magistrates, as bust
ness men, and as members of society.
Why, then, should they not declare
to them their duty as citizens in an
issue which is purely moral, which
has for its sole object the removal of
an unmitigated snare and curse from
the land? The saloons in this coun-
try, yea, the whole liquor traffic, is
doing as much to corrupt and degrade
our Christian civilization as the idol
groves of the heather did to destroy
the worship of the true God in the
times of ancient Israel. Happy for
the Churchand fOrthe commonwealth
that there r mighty men of valor,
like Gideon, who will array the peo-
pie against this evil.
For Gods ambassadors to apply his
word in instructing the people as tC
their duty in this great moral issue,
is not an appeal unto Caesar; it is not
meddling in politics. In this State.
the secular government has placed
this question before the people, and
never, in the history of the common,
wealth, did the Christian individual
conscience do as much in influencing
a vote as at this time.
Who are they in this State, that are
reviling the ministers who are declar.
ing Gods counsel in this matter? II
is the saloon-keeper, the distiller
and the worldly politician, who are
heaping all manner of abuse and sour.
rilous epithets upon them.
There is an anti-prohibition paper
in this State, edited by a venerable
minister of the Methodist Church
and he is "giving himself wholly tC
his work !" The chief burden of this
evangelistic (?) sheet is denunciatior
of political priests" who have for
saken their work to preach politics.
God placed his Church and his
ministry on earth to testify agains'
the evil that is in the world. Johr
the Baptist struck boldly at the evil'
Of his present day, and aroused the
public conscience.
Men of DIR. Frierson's opinion seen
to think that preaching prohibition
forebodes the spirit of union of the
Church with State. Nothing coulC
he more incorrect. A stall-fed, State
pensioned Church and ministry vii
never agitate a moral reform, or cry
out against any evil in the State tina.
does not threaten a curtailment of &c
~rlesiastical appropriation. No! it il
tine Church in the wilderness tina
bears testimony against the sins anC
"rrors of the time.
WNU.E Hrfp- ntler Wesley Chgl